DELICACIES FROM THE SEA

by Betty MacDougall

Sand Eels
At one time sand-eel fishing was popular in the islands. It was during harvest time that this fishing was at its best as regards quality and quantity. Apparently the people found the sandeel a palatable food.

The spring tide ebb in the islands is about midday and midnight and this is the time the fish comes in from the deeper water. When it reaches in to shallow water it buries itself in the sand.

As their day time work kept the people busy, the night time was more convenient for 'going to the sand-eel ebb'. The only tackle needed was an old reaping hook and a basket. Notches were filed in the blade of the hook just like in a saw but they didn't have to be so regular. The best opportunities for a good catch are right in the water. The hook is drawn through the sand and when the fish are plentiful, one might be caught at almost every stroke. Balehogh was rated a good beach for this fishing.

Incidentally, it was reported at a meeting of the Kirk Session in 1735 that several women in Gallanach went late on the Saturday night to fish sand-eels and did not return till the Sunday morning. It was decided that they should be fined one shilling sterling each for Sabbath breaking.

This Kirk Session was the body of elders that attended to church affairs and the moral wellbeing of the parishioners. All misdemeanours were called to their attention, from Adultery to Sabbath-breaking, and they dealt with the culprits. The fines extracted were put into the Poor Box which was disbursed once a year.

Cormorants

A popular item in the island diet in the olden days was the cormorant.

It was said that when the cormorants settled down for the night a sentinel bird was left on watch on the highest pinnacle of rock. The hunters had to catch this fellow first of all, put him out of action before he could warn the sleepers and then they could take what they wanted.

Many a tale was told of the skill of the cragsmen of Bousd and Sorasdal climbing the Black Stalla of Sul-ghorm before the lighthouse was built. It was a night-time operation and the men would lie in wait till the noisy skirling of the birds had ceased, indicating that they had tucked in their heads for the night. Then the most nimble climber set to, a handful of sand or gravel might be aimed at the sentinel bird to confuse him, the success of the whole operation depended on this first stroke.

The cormorant was not plucked but skinned, apparently easier than skinning a rabbit. It was cleaned, the breast fat flaked off, put into a pot of cold water and brought to the boil. Any oily fat was poured off, fresh water added and left to simmer. The flesh was dark in colour and had a distinctive flavour but that could be overcome by 'frying with onions.

And a recipe for whelk soup from Katina.

You will need to make a good strong stock for the flavour, so take:

5 Ibs whelks, washed
2 pints of water
1 carrot
1 tablespoon oatmeal,
and seasoning to taste

Put the whelks in shell into boiling water and boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and reserve stock. Shell a cupful of the whelks and add to the stock with grated carrot and the oatmeal. Simmer gently, to prevent boiling over, for fifteen minutes. Season before serving. The remaining whelks may be fried with bacon. onion and a litt1e oatmeal.